Roman Arutyunov is the Co-founder and SVP of Products at Xage Security, a Series B startup focused on protecting critical infrastructure—including energy systems—from cyber threats. Xage is backed by investors like Chevron Technology Ventures, Aramco, Piva Capital, Valor Equity Partners, and Overture.

Cybersecurity is a growing concern as our energy systems become more distributed, electrified, and digitally connected. We spoke with Roman about the vulnerabilities in today’s infrastructure, the motivations behind cyberattacks, and how the rise of AI is changing the cybersecurity landscape.

In this episode, we cover: 

• [2:11] Introduction to Xage Security
• [3:12] Cybersecurity 101: Ransomware, nation-state threats, and attacker motivations
• [7:10] Operational tech (OT) vs. information tech (IT)
• [13:29] Xage’s Zero Trust security approach
• [15:45] Customer segments and differing security challenges
• [20:47] Navigating regulations vs. fast deployment timelines
• [23:40] How AI is shaping both threats and defenses
• [28:00] When multifactor authentication becomes a vulnerability
• [31:59] Real-world cyberattacks on energy systems
• [34:10] Xage’s funding history and growth trajectory

Episode recorded on Feb 20, 2025 (Published on Mar 26, 2025)

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant